This is my first knitting effort since school...I really dont get what to do..I understand how to read my size...so I purl 4, then do I add a stitch? inc in next st...I dont understand this bit? then it says 0 times..? so does this not apply to my size? then again I purl 4 ( I get that) and again I increase in next stitch?? not sure what to do...add a stitch? then purl 3 & again inc ?? again 0 times?? so do I ignore this instruction? then purl 4. then just 16 stitches at end, I presume I just purl these???

tanks so much for your quik reply...thats great, so i just purl4 & add in a stitch, & repeat this 3 times...til I have 16 stitches instead of 12...will do it when I get home from work..tanks again so much...
only new to the knitting, and never read a pattern before...
really didnt understand the 0 times instruction!!!

The 'P4, increase in the next st' only repeats twice. It's just as Ingrid wrote it out:
"You'll P4, increase in the next stitch, p4, increase in next stitch, p4"
You should have 14sts on the needle before the row begins and finish with 16sts.
There are videos for various increases under the Free Videos tab at the top of the page, Increases.
Good luck finishing up the sweater!

Absolutely correct, my counting mistake....
tanks so much for your help & tip on the videos...
its great watching the jumper come together...
A quik question, to you pro knitters,
Im sure youve all done jumpers before,
this is a baby jumper, with 3 buttons opening on the top of one shoulder, & a short rib neck,

for shaping the top, Ive put 2/3rds of the knitting on a stitch holder & knitted the part that will have the button closing.
then I transferred half of what was left onto a stitch holder & am knitting the opposite side of the jumper (if you understand me)

Im left with the middle section of the back of the jumper, (about 14 stitches on a stitch holder)..
the the pattern moves onto the front...I tink it comes back to this section later under neckband....

does this happen normally...just Im terrified something might happen & the sticthes fall off when Im knitting the front,

would it be that this part on both the front & the back of the jumper are eventually knitted together?? Just I never did a jumper before..

This is a very nice way to shape the neck and shoulder for a baby sweater because it leaves plenty of room at the neck to get the sweater on and off without annoying the baby. The ~14sts that you're holding out will indeed become part of the neckband along with sts from the front and perhaps some sts that are picked up on the neck edge of the shoulders. I don't see how the sts would come off the stitch holder but if they do, just put them back on. You're the boss. I sometimes use a length of scrap yarn as a stitch holder because it's more flexible. If you knot the ends of the scrap yarn, the sts will have nowhere to go.
Love to see a picture of the finished sweater if you'd care to post one.

Im on the sleeve of the jumper now...& need further help plse...
if anyone can help me out..

Ive cast on with 26 stitches & finished the rib...
Im the fourth size on the pattern...
now I have instruction how to increase the width of the arm/sleeve..
but I tink its goin to get too long...
the pattern reads as follows;

working in stocking stitch (throughout) inc 1 st at each end of 9th
[7th:9th:9th:11th:11th] and every foll 8th [6th:8th:8th:10th:10th] row to 26[28:30:34:34:40]

now from this I take it, Im on full plain & purl rows(stocking stitch)
starting with 26 stitches, after end of 9 more rows of st st I add on 1 st. then after the next 8 rows I add another, and repeat this til I get to 34 stitches total...
does this mean I have 56 more rows to do?? Its just the pattern says the arm should measure at this point 24cm. but I have only done the first 9 rows & added 1 st & then the next 8 rows & added another stitch...and it already measures 12cm..
I measured the last set of 8 rows I knitted & they measured 5cm extra...do I now alter to suit my tension?? am I possibly knitting a bit loose? thought it does look fine..
If I continue as per pattern my sleeve will measure 44cm before shaping, instead of 24cm..

You're good to think ahead to the possible length of the sleeve but the increase for the sleeves is:
"working in stocking stitch (throughout) inc 1 st at each end..."
So from 26sts to 34sts is 8sts increased. At 2sts increased in each of 4 increase rows, it'll take 33 rows to complete the increases.

I get it now, so inc 1 st at each end of 9th and every foll 8th row,
means, add 1 st at start & end of these rows ...

I have already dont 9 rows & added 1,
and then went on to do 8 more & added 1...
I can add 1 more now on the next row....Ill be down 1 st,
what would you suggest the best way to add in another one to get back to the no of stitches required....
or will 1 st be missed???